Results 11,641-11,660 of 12,604 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Written Answers — EU Summits: EU Summits (29 Sep 2005)

Willie O'Dea: A number of informal meetings of EU defence ministers have been held in recent years. The meetings have been a useful forum for informal discussions focused on promoting dialogue between defence ministers in the context of the continued development of the European Security and Defence Policy. An informal meeting of EU defence ministers is scheduled to take place in the United Kingdom on 13...

Written Answers — National Emergency Plan: National Emergency Plan (29 Sep 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I consulted my Cabinet colleagues in April 2005 on a draft proposal to conduct a nationwide public information campaign on emergency planning. Following an assessment of the observations I received, I decided to recommend to Government that my Department should proceed with the research stage of the project. This will allow a planned and costed proposal to be put to Government later for such...

Written Answers — National Emergency Plan: National Emergency Plan (29 Sep 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 43 and 50 together. The Government task force on emergency planning has worked, since it was set up in 2001, to co-ordinate emergency planning and response arrangements across those Departments that lead and support the State's response in an emergency. The task force continues to meet on a regular basis, most recently on Tuesday, 20 September 2005. The...

Written Answers — Bullying in the Workplace: Bullying in the Workplace (29 Sep 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 46 and 54 together. Dr. Eileen Doyle and the external advisory committee presented their report, The Challenge of a Workplace, in March 2002. This independent report addressed the range of interpersonal issues within the Defence Forces. Its contents and recommendations were accepted in full. Implementation of the recommendations of the report has been one of...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (29 Sep 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The number of civil servants serving in my Department on 1 June 1997 and on 1 June 2005 was as follows: 422 on 1 June 1997; and 386 on 1 June 2005.

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (29 Sep 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The Aceh monitoring mission, AMM, in Indonesia was launched by the European Union on 15 September 2005. The aim of the mission is to monitor the implementation of the peace agreement concluded by the Government of Indonesia and the Free Aceh Movement, GAM, on 15 August 2005. The mission is a civilian mission within the framework of the European Security and Defence Policy, ESDP. The mission...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Equipment: Defence Forces Equipment (29 Sep 2005)

Willie O'Dea: At the meeting of the steering board of the European Defence Agency on 23 May 2005, among other matters, a report was made to the board regarding developments in the European defence equipment market with specific reference to armoured fighting vehicles. The agency, having completed initial analysis of the market, reported that there were up to 23 separate programmes currently ongoing or...

Written Answers — Forcible Retirement: Forcible Retirement (29 Sep 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The individual concerned was retired, by the President, on the advice of the Government with effect from a date in June 1969. The retirement was effected pursuant to section 47(2) of the Defence Act 1954 and Paragraph 18(1)(f) of Defence Force Regulations A15, which provide that an officer may be retired "in the interests of the service". The individual initiated proceedings in the High Court...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Development: Defence Forces Development (29 Sep 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The White Paper sets out a comprehensive programme for the development of defence and the Defence Forces for the period 2000 to 2010. It might be noted that the programme is expressed in terms of policy decisions taken and goals, objectives and plans and not in terms of specific recommendations. Just past the half-way point, most of the major elements of the White Paper development programme...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (29 Sep 2005)

Willie O'Dea: KFOR was established on 10 June 1999, in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 1244, for an initial period of 12 months, to continue thereafter unless the UN Security Council decides otherwise. The role of KFOR is to support the maintenance of civil law and order within Kosovo so as to develop a climate of safety and security, which will enable the transfer of increased...

Written Answers — Suicide Incidence: Suicide Incidence (29 Sep 2005)

Willie O'Dea: As the Deputy's question indicates, the suicide rate within the Permanent Defence Force, PDF, reflects that of the wider national population from which members of the Permanent Defence Force are drawn. Every death resulting from suicide is a tragedy for the family concerned. Therefore, while the suicide rate does not show any apparent excess over the rate for the national population as a...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Reserve: Defence Forces Reserve (29 Sep 2005)

Willie O'Dea: On 12 September 2005 a military police investigation commenced into alleged irregularities in the operation of a Reserve Defence Force unit fund account. Pending the outcome of the investigation I do not consider it appropriate to comment any further in the matter.

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (29 Sep 2005)

Willie O'Dea: Defence Forces personnel have participated in a number of staff, technical and crisis management exercises in the context of both the EU and PfP. They have for many years attended workshops, training courses, desktop exercises, seminars and other events overseas as part of their military training and I expect that they will continue to do so. The purpose of such training is to learn from best...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (29 Sep 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 65 and 154 together. The case to which the Deputies refer is that of Private Kevin Barrett, who died on 18 February 1999 while serving with the 84th Infantry Battalion, UNIFIL, in Lebanon. I am advised that the circumstances surrounding Private Kevin Barrett's death are as follows. Private Kevin Barrett's battalion was carrying out a tour of duty in south...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Ombudsman: Defence Forces Ombudsman (29 Sep 2005)

Willie O'Dea: The office of Ombudsman for the Defence Forces has been established as an independent statutory office under the Ombudsman (Defence Forces) Act 2004 by the Ombudsman (Defence Forces) Act 2004 (Commencement) Order 2005. The appointment of a person to the office is made by the President acting upon the recommendation of the Government. Ms Paulyn Marrinan-Quinn was recently so appointed by the...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Property: Defence Forces Property (29 Sep 2005)

Willie O'Dea: Personnel on being discharged from the Permanent Defence Force are obliged to vacate married quarters within a short period of the dates of their discharge. The provision of housing is primarily a matter for the local authorities and married personnel have an equal claim on such housing as other members of the community in the same income category. Some 54 of those overholding married...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (29 Sep 2005)

Willie O'Dea: Ireland's participation in Partnership for Peace, PfP, to date is set out in our five individual partnership programmes, IPP, copies of which have been lodged in the Oireachtas Library. Ireland's fifth IPP, covering the period 2005-06 was completed in consultation with the Departments of Foreign Affairs, Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Justice Equality and Law Reform, Health and...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Property: Defence Forces Property (29 Sep 2005)

Willie O'Dea: On 15 July 1998, the Government approved a programme of evacuation and sale of six barracks considered surplus to military requirements. The barracks in question were located at Ballincollig, Fermoy, Castleblayney, Naas, Kildare and Islandbridge, Dublin. The sale of approximately 97 acres at Murphy Barracks, Ballincollig, was completed in 2003 for a total of €42 million. The bulk of the...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Equipment: Defence Forces Equipment (29 Sep 2005)

Willie O'Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 159 and 161 together. The acquisition of new equipment for the Defence Forces continues to be a key focus for me as Minister for Defence. I am aware that significant investment has taken place in recent years and I will continue the good work in that regard. The unprecedented level of expenditure on equipment for the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service was made...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (29 Sep 2005)

Willie O'Dea: In order to reach the requisite level of interoperability, and taking account of the short timeframes envisaged for the deployment of the EU's rapid reaction elements, it would seem to me that the various forces and elements comprising a battlegroup would need to be familiar with the equipment, standard operating procedures, organisation and operations of the group as a whole. However, that...